Hunter&#39;s duck decoy



y J. E. VILLATORE ET AL 1,813,370 I HUNTER'S DUCK DEGOY' Filed Sept. 24, 1929 Patented July 7, 1931 UNITED STATES JOSEPH E. VILLATORE, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A-N'D RUDOLPH ANEIJLO; OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS T'O GEORGE SCIAGCA; O11 NEW YORK, N. Y.

HUNTERS DUCK meow Application filed September 24, 1929'. Siiiil'NoL 394,965;

ranged to cooperate with a spatula blade or vane connected to and below the floating decoy body and which rotates or oscillates due to the natural wave action or water currents.

More specifically our invention relates to an improvement in duck decoys in which the head portion of the decoy oscillates or rotates with a blade or vane connected to and below the decoy body, said blade or vane having a rudder portion and counterbalancing means which maintains the decoy body in equilib rium.

To enable others skilled in the art to more fully comprehend the underlying features of our invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the speciflcation in which Fig. 1 is a perspective View illustrating our invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view partly in section showing the rotatable head and vane or blade connection.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate correspond ing parts throughout the several views, 5 designates a floating decoy body which is preferably of wood and usually carved and painted to resemble the appearance of a wild duck.

The front body portion of the decoy is formed with a vertical opening in which is positioned a journal bushing 6. A freely rotatable head 7 on the decoy body is also provided with an opening for an internally threaded sleeve or nipple 8.

Extending through the journal bushing is a rod or stem 9, the upper end of which is threaded as at 10 tobe fastened into the p nipple or sleeve within the head portion of 0 the decoy. An anti-friction spacing disk 11 is interposed the bottom of the head and the decoybo'dy so'tliat the headmay'turn freely relative to'the body.

The opposite, threaded end 12" of the rod orsteIn Q-"isthreaded and fastened to a counterbalaneing' pest 13. The post is S'lOfitd. fron-i-froiit'to back as at 14 to receive the front end1f5 o f-what I terma-spatiila blade or vane 16; the front iid of which passes through the slottedpost and is -fastened'tliereto by a'screw L7. The-blade or vane is formed with a. rear rudderportion'18'whichaffords a greater surface area to engage the water, this cementetim being such thatit prevents the decoy body freer tilting" or tii'rning' over when in range er che py water. As seen in Figs. 2 andanie rudder portion ofthe vane-or blade is provided-with apair'ofweights1'9; 20 fitstenfedto'gether by a screw 21" and nut 22. In aet'lial praetice', theb'est results are obtained when the combiner Weight Of the member's 1'9; 20 ie -equai-to the weight ofthefront post 1 3. The centre of gravity is consequently intermediatethe ends of. the blade or vane; thus 1ii'aint'ainin'g'it when" in the water in a perfectly lioritont'a'll position. It will thus lie-seen that whemhe floating decoy body is positioned in the water, the natural wave motion, eddies or currents will partially rotate and oscillate the vaneor' blade thus similarly moving the stem and the head to'simulate the natural action of wild game; All the elements included in the improvemene above set" forth are easily assembled; replaceable and interchangeable so that the decoy bodiesma be quickly equippedby the hunter and positioned in the water and subsequentiy dissemhled. Due to the fact thatthe vain'eor bladeprevent s the body from tilting oven-very few of the decoys are thus losti While w'ehaive shown and described our invention with some degree of particularit'y' it will be realized that other modifications andachanges'maybe resorted to under special conditions. We therefore do not wish tobe limited and rs'trict'ed to the exact details shown and describedbiit reserve the right to make such changes and modifications as may fairly fall within the scope of the subject matter now being claimed.

Having shown and described our invention, what We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A decoy duck comprising a body por- 5 tion, a stem passing through said body, a freely rotatable head fastened to the upper end of the stem, and a counterbalanced vane connected to the lower end of the said stem and extending from said stem in a direction substantially opposite to that in which said head extends from said stem.

2. A decoy duck comprising a body portion, a stem passing through said body portion, a freely rotatable head fastened to the upper end of the stem and a detachable, counterbalanced vane transversely adjustably connected to the lower end of the stem.

3. A decoy duck comprising a body portion having a vertical journal bushing, a stem passing through said bushing, a'freely rotatable head fastened to the upper end of the stem, a slotted post connected to and extending over the lower end of the stem and a counterbalanced vane horizontally adjusta- 5 bly carried by said slotted post.

4. A decoy duck comprising a body portion having a vertical journal bushing, a stem passing through said bushing, a freely rotatable head fastened to the upper end of the stem, a slotted post on the lower end of the stem, and a counterbalanced vane having a backwardly and downwardly extending rear rudder carried by said slotted post.

5. A decoy duck comprising a body portion having a vertical journal bushing, a stem passing through said bushing, a freely rotatable head fastened to the upper end of the stein, a slotted post on the lower endof the 1 stem, a vane having a rear rudder carried by r said slotted post, weights attached to the rudder below the level of said post, said post being counterbalanced by said weights whereby the vane is maintained in a horizontal position.

6. A decoy duck comprising a body portion, a vertical journal bushing passing through said body, a stem within the bushing, a freely rotatable head on the upper end of the stem, a slotted post carried by the lower 59 end of the stem, a flat vane having its front end passing through and horizontally adjustably fastened to the post, a rudder formed with the rear portion of the vane, weights replaceably attached to the rudder portion on each side thereof, said post being counterbalanced by said weights to maintain the vane in a horizontal position and prevent tilting of the body. 7

In testimony whereof we afiix our signa- 60 tures.

JOSEPH E. VILLATORE. RUDOLPH ANELLO. 

